Your favorite dueling class and why

Naoko

I'm trying to figure out which lesserform class I want to use for dueling. So far I have a liking for classes with strong hinder and low artefact costs since I have bills to pay, but I want to hear from you.

Why do you duel with the class you do? What makes it comfortable for you? What makes it fun in your opinion? All experience levels are invited to answer!

[Deleted User]

Sentinel hands down.

Traps are amazing, both offensively and defensively.

Has oodles of utility with metamorphosis, also slippery as heck.

The enrage change is quite possibly one of the best (if not the best) changes the class has had post-rework.

The class can be as simple or as complex as you wanna make it; there's the basic extirpate setup or you can add in limb prep and allow yourself flexibility in how you kill someone based on how they cure. Locks, bleeding, extirpate or dismember are possible all at the same time (granted you kinda need artifact weapons for that much flexibility).

All of the kill setups (except maybe locking) are doable without any artifacts, they obviously become easier with artifacts but that's pretty much every class. Forking also becomes a lot easier with artifacts.

Unfortunately the class also has a big downside in the game, in that you have to be either rogue or Eleusian.

Iaxus

Serpent is probably the most fun dueling class I've played. Nearly impossible to kill unless you're stubborn and refuse to drop your offence to go defensive, fast playstyle, pinshot, evade, phase. Lots of utility. Wasn't a big fan of serp for group combat due to lack of in-room damage, but the slipperiness and rp of "I get to sneak in and out as I please" was just.. fun.
Artefacts though, you're gunna want to be dex specced and have an artie dirk. Not the highest investment, but if you're not specced dex, on a dex leaning race, you're going to be at a disadvantage.

[Deleted User]

For low/zero investment, I'd probably say Alchemist or Shaman; with a little bit of investment (some level of mace makes a big difference), my favorite is Priest. It has a very oppressive offense that is heavy on hinder and difficult to slow down, and a lot of tricks up its sleeve for people who want to get creative. It favors fights that go longer as it has a significant amount of attrition (broad affliction pool with a lot of damage, rites for passives including a very annoying defense strip), and benefits from both momentum and prep strategies which makes it versatile. It starts simple but has a very high skill ceiling. The main downside is that all routes tend to land on absolve, but there are plenty of ways to get there, and absolve is very strong by itself.

Plus, you get to play in Targossas. Purging heretics is fun!

Gilliam

Two-hander is bonkers for dueling. Any of the knight classes. Fractures + room hinder + the ability to integrate your falcon into mudlet's mapper means no one will ever escape you. It's a momentum class that can take advantage of the perks of prep. One prepped leg is basically a way to bank 10s of momentum to pull out whenever it's most convenient that will -also- halt your opponent's offense for 4s. Active cures for paralysis, clumsiness, and asthma. Stand while off balance. Relapsing afflictions means that your target will always be undeaf for battlecry(2s stun that can be used while you're prone) plus arcing curare when you see them eat for an additional 1.5s of paralysis. Hard to kill, hard to survive, simple enough to use that you can keep focused on your defense.

Torinn

I also loved priest.

Shirszae

I love Two-hander. Its simple, fun, effective. I enjoy the mental image of it, and all the flavour messages that come with it.

Vakvyr

Shirszae said:

I love Two-hander. Its simple, fun, effective. I enjoy the mental image of it, and all the flavour messages that come with it.

2hand is satisfying. I don't know exactly why, but it just feels nice.

Lenn

I hate 1v1 because paralysis is just annoying. I have made a "repeat last command" button, which turns out to be a great addition for other things, but doesn't quite resolve my issues with 1v1.

However, in a future where I like 1v1, I like Depthswalker. It's kinda affliction's easy mode since it nearly handles tracking for you, but I like puzzling out which affliction path(s) work best against a certain opponent.

It simplifies combat without actually reducing it. I think it's a beautifully designed class.

Ammar

if you want low investment and high hinder, I think you want Alchemist. The homunculus is fantastic hinder, and while a diadem helps a bit with shielding your offense is otherwise entirely balance-based. You can additionally spec constitution without penalty and get a bit tankier with formulation. Plus you get oodles of paralysis and some very fun kill possibilities. And unlike Shaman, the routes are simple (if not always easy).

Mizik

Runewarden DWC or SNB.

* Pretty much damage immune and DSB is a time bomb into a one shot because of Runeblades.
* Algiz offers the coveted (and broken) RESIST ALL type, which immunizes you against said DSB and other flat damage finishers.
* Uruz massive resist. 
* Gular stone walls to tumble over into.
* Wunjo/nairat transfix.
* Fastest prep of all knights with Runeblades.
* Sowulu DWC is completely batshit.
* Fitness AND dagaz. (lol)

Mizik

I meant pithakhan* DWC is batshit

[Deleted User]

Mizik said:

I meant pithakhan* DWC is batshit

ur batshit

Dalran

DWC runie all time favorite for sure, with both bard and psion strong contenders for second place for me. Aff pressure + limb breaking capabilities >>>

Jovolo

Runewarden DWC with level one scims and above is definitely nuts. Without them, you aren't quick enough to double leg disembowel and masking the torso break within a three limb break execution and inside of rebounding? Against today's curing? Obnoxious. 

Apostate in the hands of somebody like Crixos also ranks up there. I know that's not the question, but if you could be that efficient then it's hard not to have fun watching what you can do as Apo. 

Infernal before forging changes was the most broken class in modern achaea and the most fun that I personally had alongside old Shaman which was almost equally as strong but for different reasons. 

Archaeon

Crixos is nasty 

Antonius

Jovolo said:

Without them, you aren't quick enough to double leg disembowel

You should be if you're using queueing. Disembowel is intended to be possible with a double leg setup (i.e. not requiring an arm/head break to throw off salve balance first) with forged weapons. There's a delay on the "increased impale writhe time" effect ending after restoration heals the first leg to account for the slight variation in balance times.

Shecks

Nothing will ever be as fun or interesting for me than serpent.  Off-bal Illusions make it almost infinite in terms of your options and mind games.  It also has so many different paths that can be used as opposed to some other classes that are quite linear with only one or two forks.

Purely my take ofc, with huge bias as my char has been serpent/assassin roleplay since rebirth.

Saonji

Necromancer is my favourite.